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If you’re anything like us, you find yourself more and more often shaking your head in despair at the state of this nation’s population, because it’s starting to feel like everybody is just really, REALLY STUPID. Like, you can’t even relax, you can’t hope for things to start making sense, you cannot escape a deep and lingering sense of agita because, by golly, it really seems like most Americans are not playing with a full deck of cards.

A great deal of the people, at least:

What, us worry?

Then, no doubt, you are disturbed by the results of the new World Public Opinion study taken after November’s U.S. midterm elections, which were released this week and reflected an alarming state of confusion in voters on the country’s most pivotal issues. [FYI, the study included 616 self-reported voters that were chosen scientifically to represent the U.S. population, with a margin of error plus or minus 3.9%]

45% percent of voters thought that most scientists believe climate change is not occurring, despite the fact that the National Academy of Sciences has concluded that it is. 40% of voters incorrectly believed that the TARP legislation was initiated under Obama, not Dubya. 53% of voters said that most economists have concluded that Obamacare will increase the budget deficit, despite the fact that the Congressional Budget Office has concluded that law would actually reduce the deficit.

And what about the Republican voters who made such a big bang during those fateful midterms? 64% didn’t think it clear that Obama was born in the United States and 72% were convinced the economy is still getting worse (even though the Department of Commerce says otherwise, with June ’09 marking the official end to the recession). But before you lefties get smug, know that Dems aren’t off the hook: 18% weren’t sure about Continue reading Phew? We’re Not Stupid; We’re Misinformed